By Tanisha Jindal
Topiwala National Medical College and B. Y. L. Nair Charitable Hospital - a name that has given countless students such as myself immense pride in being associated with it. It is not only a premier medical college, and neither is it only one of the biggest tertiary care centers in the country. It is home - home for all those who need it. Be it professors, medical students, residents, clerks, janitorial staff, or patients, at Nair, we are one big family. Situated in the heart of Southern Mumbai, Nair has proudly served the community for over 100 years.
2021 was the year when this historical institute celebrated its centenary year with a month-long series of festivities which included sports competitions, academic workshops, CME lectures by renowned medical professionals, dance and music events, art and photography exhibits, a 100km cycling event, medical quizzes, debates, fashion show, beach clean up, psychiatry movie showcasing and so much more.
The celebration included the likes of Bollywood legend Amitabh Bachchan who, via a beautiful video message highlighted the incredible work that TNMC and Nair have done in the past century and how the future only looks brighter for us.
The closing ceremony of the month-long saga of pomp and fervor was graced by the honorable Cabinet Minister of tourism and environment for the Government of Maharashtra Aditya Thakarey Ji and it was a proud day for every Nairite and got everyone cheering “Sau Saal bemisaal! - Unparalleled 100 years!”
Amidst all the causes for celebration, India was still grappling with the COVID 19 pandemic which had already caused a significantly devastating socio-economic impact on the people of the nation. Nair has proved, time and again, how it has stood unwaveringly during a medical crisis and the COVID 19 pandemic is a testimony to its strength and resilience. India’s first genome sequencing lab was inaugurated in Nair hospital by Chief Minister of Maharashtra Uddhav Thakarey Ji virtually. Nair was the first institute in Maharashtra to dedicate 1100 beds out of the the1300 total to COVID patients. The first delivery of a COVID infected mother was carried out in Nair and the hospital has not looked back since then. It is the first institute in the country to have facilitated 1000 deliveries of COVID positive women. With beds reserved for pregnant COVID positive women and those who required dialysis, Nair has always been ahead of the curve and ready to serve its people in every situation. TMMC Global Alumni is the alumni association of Nair which is a robust network of renowned and successful medical professionals who foster a deep sense of loyalty to their alma mater. Through innumerable donations and valuable connections, the alumni committee has always supported Nair and it shows how you can take a medico out of Nair, but you can never take Nair out of a medico.
Nair has touched countless lives of people and most of all, its students. One such student is Nandita Sharma from the 2018 batch of TNMC Nair came to Mumbai from Jalandhar with dreams in her eyes and a passion to learn. She had never heard of the college before but decided that it would be a good fit for her when she read about the college and the hospital online. Her journey as a medical student has been one of growth and perseverance. When she started as a fresher, she would always be lost in a book in a corner of the library and would hardly ever go out or interact with people. Her time at Nair, living in a big city away from home and the opportunities that came with it gave her the boost that she needed to come out of the shell that she had built for herself. As a final year student today, she is more confident than ever, has founded the college’s flourishing student media body, and most importantly, struck a healthy balance between her social and academic lives. She credits the professors and seniors at Nair for always encouraging her to participate in quizzes, classroom discussions, and activities and venture beyond the textbook which helped build a strong academic base for a steady clinical understanding of the medical coursework. Her relationship with her peers and seniors has significantly shaped the woman that she is today and it has been an ever-evolving one. The multi-dimensional interactions that she had with people in the college have had a deep impact on her personality and taught her some valuable life lessons. One of the most memorable times of her college life was that of Swaasthik 2019, which is Nair’s intercollegiate medical fest. Volunteering at such college events and taking on additional responsibilities apart from academics gave her the confidence to start Herald - the student media body of Nair. When she looks at the bigger picture, she feels grateful for the opportunities that Nair gave her and how this whole experience has been a learning curve from which she has emerged a better person.
It is a true testament to the influence of Nair. It inculcates a spirit of camaraderie in all those who choose to make it a part of their medical journey and grants them the skills and conviction to be world-class medical professionals. Such is the legacy of Nair.